The most frequently asked question I get on meditation is "What am I doing wrong?" Chances are, you're not doing anything wrong. Just remember that meditation takes a lot of practice, some more for others. Just remember to keep practicing daily. Practice makes perfect!

Sitting is the ideal position for meditation, especially for those who tend to
fall asleep during this practice. I prefer to lay down as I'm good about
not falling asleep and it makes me more comfortable. Sit in a
straight-backed chair, supporting your lower back with a pillow if necessary.
Your chin should be level with the floor, eyes closed, back straight, hands
resting on your knees, palms up and fingers relaxed.

Select your time and place for meditation with
care. Light should be subdued; candlelight is excellent. Burn white
or blue candles if you wish. A bit of incense is fine too, but too much
smoke can (obviously) cause problems during deep breathing.

Immediately after each meditation, record all
images, thoughts and sensations in your journal.

When working long, visualization-like meditations,
have someone read it out to you or record it on tape. Most people are not
ok with recording their own voices but after I listened to mine a few times, I
was comfortable with it but this may not apply to most people.

There are a few things you want to look out for when you're meditating, especially if going to group meditations.
In basic meditation, there shouldn't be any goal that you're striving for. Try not to concentrate on that or think during your meditation about what it is you think you're achieving. Don't worry about "going into trance" unless you want to spend hours in some kind of visualization, or hypnosis. Those are the type of meditations for trance, not that I'm against them at all but that isn't needed for basic, everyday meditation (in my opinion). Sometimes you may just want to sit for 5-10 minutes, which is great. There are many different methods and ideas on how to practice meditation but it all depends on what works best for you.
As for group and/or visualization meditations, you really must be careful. A lot of the people getting into "metaphysical" meditation don't really know that there are a few dangers around it. If you ever get a meditation tape, make sure to listen to it first, especially if it includes someone walking you through a visualization. As for group meditations, always be sure to ask what will be included in the meditation, if they don't warn you first. I say this because say you have a fear of water or large open spaces. Many "metaphysical" meditations include these two aspects a lot and if someone in control of what your mind is seeing doesn't know this, it can be a very traumatic experience for you.
One thing I dislike about meditation/astral projection, etc. tapes is that you never know if that tape is really influencing you in a bad way. You always have to be careful of subliminal messages. I admit, I sometimes like these tapes as well, for listening to my own voice makes me uncomfortable. I like to listen through the tape first (being sure there is no negative imaging) and get it from a name I trust (Llewellyn, Inner Worlds Music, everyone has their own). It also is nice to just make your own tapes and maybe get a friend to do the speaking. But for basic meditation, just music works great for me. Remember in meditation, you don't always have to be achieving some kind of magickal feat. Just sitting and listening to your breath can be very
beneficial.

This is the meditation I
generally use for grounding and centering by Starhawk (The Spiral
Dance).

This is one of the most important meditations,
which is practiced individually, as well as in the group. In
solitary practice, begin by sitting or standing erect, and breathing
deeply and rhythmically.

(Record and play this back to yourself or
memorize it.)

"And as we (you) breathe, remember to sit
erect, and as your spine straightens, feel the energy rising... (pause).

"Now imagine that your spine is the trunk of
a tree... and from its base roots extend deep into the earth... into the
center of the earth Herself... (pause).

"And you can draw up power from the earth,
with each breath... feel the energy rising... like sap rising through a
tree trunk...

"And feel the power rise up your spine...
feel yourself becoming more alive... with each breath...

"And from the crown of your head, you have
branches that sweep up and back down to touch the earth... and feel the
power burst from the crown of your head... and feel it sweep through the
branches until it touches the earth again... making a circle... a
circuit... returning to its source...

(In a group:) "And breathing deeply, feel
how all our branches intertwine... and the power weaves through them...
and dances among them, like the wind... feel it moving..." (long
pause).

Also called grounding,
earthing power is one of the basic techniques of magic. Power must
be earth ever time it is raised. Otherwise, the force we feel as
vitalizing energy degenerates into nervous tension and
irritability.

"Now sink to the ground and relax.
Place your palms flat on the ground, or lie flat. Let the power
sink through you into the earth." (Even is you are meeting in
a penthouse fifteen floors above the earth, visualize the energy flowing
down to the actual ground.) "Relax, and let the force flow
through you... let it flow deep into the earth... where it will be
cleansed and renewed. Relax and let yourself drift
peacefully."

This is one of the basic
individual meditations that should be practiced regularly. During
periods of high anxiety or depression or when undertaking heavy
responsibilities, it is helpful to practice this daily.

Fill a cup with water. (Use your ritual
chalice, if you have one). With your athame (or other
implement), add three mounds of salt, and stir
counterclockwise.

Sit with the cup in your lap. Let your
fears, worries, doubts, hatreds, and disappointments surface in your
mind. See them as a muddy stream, which flows out of you as you
breathe and is dissolved by the salt water in the cup. Allow
yourself time to feel deeply cleansed.

Now hold the cup. Breathe deeply, and feel
yourself drawing up power from the earth (as in the Tree of Life
exercise). Let the power flow into the salt water, until you can
visualize it glowing with light.

Sip the water. As you feel it on your
tongue, know that you have taken in the power of cleansing, of
healing. Fear and unhappiness have become transformed into the
power of change.

Empty the leftover water into a running
stream. (Alas, in these decadent times the nearest stream is
usually running out of the kitchen faucet and down the
drain).

Face East. Ground
and center. Breathe deep, and be conscious of the air as it flows
in and out of your lungs. Feel is as the breath of the Goddess,
and take in the life force, the inspiration, or the universe. Let
your own breath merge with the winds, the clouds, the great currents
that sweep over land and ocean with the turning of the earth. Say,
"Hail, Arida, Bright Lady of the Air!"

Ground and center.
Hold your athame of sword in your strongest hand. Breathe deeply
and take in the power of Air, the power of the mind. The power of
this tool is that of discrimination, of drawing lines, setting limits,
making choices, and carrying them out. Remember choices you have
made and carried through in spite of difficulties. Feel the power
of your mind to influence others and the strength or your responsibility
not to misuse that power. You have the force to act ethically, in
accord with what you believe is right. Let the power of your
intelligence, your knowledge, your moral courage, flow into your tool.

Face South. Ground
and center. Be conscious of the electric spark within each nerve
as pulses jump from synapse to synapse. Be aware of the combustion
within each cell, as food burns to release energy. Let your own
fire become one with candle flame, bonfire, hearth fire, lightning,
starlight, and sunlight, one with the bright spirit of the
Goddess. Say, "Hail, Tana, Goddess of Fire!"

Ground and center.
Hold your wand in your strongest hand. Breathe deeply, and feel
the power of Fire, of energy. Be aware of yourself as a channel of
energy. You can change spirit into matter, idea to reality,
concept into form. Feel your own power to create, to do, to be an
agent of change. Be in touch with your will - your power to
do what you must, to set a goal and work toward it. Let your will
flow into your wand.

Face West. Ground and
center. Feel the blood flowing through the rivers of your veins,
the liquid tides within each cell of your body. You are fluid, one
drop congealed out of the primal ocean that is the womb of the Great
Mother. Find the calm pools of tranquility within you, the rivers
of feeling, the tides of power. Sink deep into the well of the
inner mind, below consciousness. Say, "Hail, Tiamat, Serpent of the
Watery Abyss!"

Ground and center.
Hold your cup cradled in both hands. Breathe deep, and feel the
power of Water, of feeling and emotion. Be in touch with the flow
of your own emotions: love, anger, sorrow, joy. The cup is
the symbol of nurturing, the overflowing breast of the Goddess that
nourishes all life. Be aware of how you are nurtured, of how you
nurture others. The power to feel is the power to be human, to be
real, to be whole. Let the strength of your emotions flood the
cup.

Face North. Ground and
center. Feel your bones, your skeleton, the solidity of your
body. Be aware of your flesh, of all that can be touched and
felt. Feel the pull of gravity, your own weight, your attraction
to the earth that is the body of the Goddess. You are a natural
feature, a moving mountain. Merge with all that comes from the
earth: grass, trees, grains, fruits, flowers, beasts, metals, and
precious stones. Return to dust, to compost, to mud. Say,
"Hail, Belili, Mother of Mountains!"

Ground and center. Hold
your pentacle in both hands. Breathe deep, and feel the power of
earth, of the body. The pentacle is your own body, four limbs and
head. It is the five senses, both inner and outer. Be in
touch with your own power to see, to hear, to smell, to taste, to
touch. The pentacle is the four elements plus the fifth - the
essence. And it is the five stages of life, each an aspect of the
Goddess:

1. Birth: the
beginning, the time of coming into being

2. Initiation: adolescence,
the time of individuation

3. Love: the time
of union with another, of full adulthood, sexuality,
responsibility

4. Repose: the
time of advancing age, of reflection, integration, wisdom

5. Death: the time
of ending, or letting go, of moving on toward rebirth.

Look at your pentacle, or draw
one on a sheet of paper. Label the five stations, going clockwise
around the points, and experience each stage in turn, as it occurs
interlocking lines and reflect on their meanings. Love is linked
to Birth and Death. Death is linked to Love and Initiation.

In the Goidelic tree alphabet,
each of the five stages was symbolized by a tree, whose name began with
one of the five vowels:

A: Birth - ailm,
silver fur

O: Initiation - onn,
gorse or furze

U: Love - ura, heather

E: Repose - eadha,
the aspen

I: Death - idho,
the yew

Chant the sounds of the vowels
and feel the power of each stage in turn. Touch your pentacle to
your body, and let the life force of your own flesh flow into it.

Ground and center.
Visualize a silver crescent moon, curving to the right. She is the
power of beginning, of growth and generation. She is wild and
untamed, like ideas and plans before they are tempered by reality.
She is the blank page, the unplowed field. Feel your own hidden
possibilities and latent potentials; your power to begin and grow.
See her as a silver-haired girl running freely through the forest under
the slim moon. She is Virgin, eternally unpenetrated, belonging to
no one but herself. Call her name "Nimue!" and feel her
power within you.

Ground and center, and
visualize a round full moon. She is the Mother, the power of
fruition and of all aspects of creativity. She nourishes what the
New Moon has begun. See her open arms, her full breasts, her womb
burgeoning with life. Feel your own power to nurture, to give, to
make manifest what is possible. She is the sexual woman; her
pleasure in union is the moving force that sustains all life. Feel
the power in your own pleasure, in orgasm. Her color is the red of
blood, which is life. Call her name "Mari!" and feel
your own ability to love.

Ground and center.
Visualize a waning crescent, curving to the left, surrounded by a black
sky. She is the Old Woman, the Crone who has passed menopause, the
power of ending, of death. All things must end to fulfill their
beginnings. The grain that was planted must be cut down. The
blank page must be destroyed, for the work to be written. Life
feeds on death - death leads on to life, and in that knowledge lies
wisdom. The Crone is the Wise Woman, infinitely old. Feel
your own age, the wisdom of evolution stored in every cell of your
body. Know your own power to end, to lose as well as gain, to
destroy what is stagnant and decayed. See the Crone cloaked in
black under the waning moon; call her name "Anu!" and feel her
power in your own death.

Ground and
center. Visualize a double spiral. When you see it clearly,
let it grow until you stand within it, and follow it inward, moving
counterclockwise. It becomes a maze of high, clipped hedges, then
a labyrinth of stone walls; its winding turns are the passageway to a
hidden secret. As you move through the spiral, the world
dissolves, form dissolves, until you are in the hidden heart where birth
and death are one. The center of the spiral shines; it is the
North Star, and the arms of the spiral are the Milky Way, a myriad of
stars slowly revolving around the still center point. You are in
Spiral Castle, at the back of the North Wind. Explore it in your
imagination. See who you meet, what you learn. You are in
the womb of the Goddess, floating free. Now feel yourself pushed
and squeezed, moving out through the spiral, which is now the passage of
rebirth. Move clockwise through the double spiral of your
DNA. Now it becomes a whirlwind - fly with it. Let it become
the twining tendril of a plant - a crystal - a shell - an orbiting
electron. Time is a spiral - the cycles endlessly repeating, you
always moving. Know the spiral as the underlying form of all
energy. As you emerge, let it return to its small, abstract,
symbolic form. Thank it, and let it disappear.

Ground and center.
Visualize yourself surrounded by a net of glowing white light. See
it as a semi porous energy field. Any force that hits this barrier
is transmuted into pure creative energy. Whatever anger or
hostility is sent to you, it only feeds your own power. Take in
that power; absorb it; glow with it. Maintain the filter around
yourself as you go through the day.

Sit in a comfortable
position with your feet flat on the floor and your hands in your lap.
Close your eyes and visualize a white light coming into position over
the top of your head. See it coming down over you until you are
completely surrounded by the light. Breathe it in with slow, even
breaths. Feel your body relaxing, beginning with your toes and
working up to your jaw and head muscles. It may take more time to
relax the muscles of the shoulders, neck, and head than the rest of the
body.

Now see yourself standing
beside a well. The stone walls of the well are moss-covered and
worn. Take all the problems in your life that are bothering you
(that includes people) and drop them into the well. Then turn and
walk away down a little path that leads through a grove of trees.

In a short time you come to a
very high cliff at the end of the path. Set into the wall is an
iron-bound oak door. The door is narrow and tall with a peak at
the top. A huge brass ring hands near one edge of the door.
You pull on the ring, and the door slowly comes open.

Inside is a wide tunnel winding
away into the darkness, its curved rood illuminated for a space by two
torches which hand in iron holders on either side of the door. As
you step inside and take down one of the torches, the door slowly closes
behind you.

Although the tunnel ahead is
dark, the light of the torch clearly illuminates your way. You are
protected. You set off down the tunnel, thinking of the Maiden.
The tunnel begins to gently curve, first one way, then the other.
There are smaller side tunnels but you feel no desire to explore them.
You realize that you have at last entered the true labyrinth.

In the distance you hear the
wild barking of dogs. You remind yourself that you are completely
protected and have nothing to fear. Ahead of you are faint
reflections of light, the sound of voices and footsteps. You go
on, holding your torch high.

The sound of barking comes
closer. Around a bend of the labyrinth comes a group of white-clad
men and women, torches in their hands. Leading them is a tall,
muscular woman dressed in a short white robe. Her hair is tied
back, and at Her shoulder hang a bow and quiver of arrows. Hunting
boots are on Her shapely feet. On Her right wrist an owl perches,
its large, dark eyes peering at you. A pack of lean hounds jump
around you, licking your hands and barking.

The Maiden stops before you.
You gaze into Her eyes, taking in their color and the color of Her hair,
Her skin. She beckons to you, then turns and leads Her followers
back down the tunnel, deeper still into the labyrinth. One of the
companions links arms with you and urges you forward. Together you
follow the Maiden.

Soon the twisting tunnel widens
into a circular room. In the center a spring bubbles up in a
fountain set inside a wide, shallow bowl in the floor. A series of
benches are placed along the curving walls. You and the group of
companions all set your torches in holders in the walls. As you do
this, you notice that the smooth, white walls are covered with bright
murals and elaborate carvings.

You walk slowly around the
circular room, looking at the murals of forests and animals, dancing
people, and ritual scenes. The scenes and designs seem to touch
something deep within you, as if you should understand a deeper mystical
meaning behind them.

Soon one of the companions
touches your arm and smiles. The companion points toward the
Maiden who stands beside the central bowl of water. When you stand
before Her, the Maiden smiles gently and asks if you have questions.
The two of you talk for a time. She tells you that some of the
answers will come later in dreams and in other ways.

Finally, She points to the
spring and asks if you are prepared for initiation. If so, you
slide quickly out of your clothes and step into the shallow basin.
The Maiden picks up a pitcher and dips up the water. Slowly She
pours pitcher after pitcher of sparkling water over you as She and Her
companions sing and chant. When She is finished, She blesses you
and with a kiss on the forehead. You feel your third eye begin to
pulse and become active.

After you are again dressed,
the companions and the Maiden lead you quickly back up the twisting
tunnel. The journey back is much shorter than the journey inward.
As you approach the door, the group dashes back down the tunnel laughing
and calling farewells. You replace your torch in its holder, push
against the door, and find yourself outside.

You take three deep, slow
breaths and find yourself again in your chair in your present life
surroundings. Sit quietly for a few moments to absorb what you
experienced. If you like, make notes of your journey.

Be aware for the next few
weeks, for messages and answers to questions may come from very unlikely
places and people. Look at everything logically, though.
Never take extreme answers at face value. Spirit never demands
extreme or unethical action.

Sit in a comfortable
position with your feet flat on the floor and your hands in your lap.
Close your eyes and visualize a white light coming into position over
the top of your head. See it coming down over you until you are
completely surrounded by the light. Breathe it in with slow, even
breaths. Feel your body relaxing, beginning with your toes and
working up to your jaw and head muscles. It may take more time to
relax the muscles of the shoulders, neck, and head than the rest of the
body.

Now see yourself standing
beside a well. The stone walls of the well are moss-covered and
worn. Take all the problems in your life that are bothering you
(that includes people) and drop them into the well. Then turn and
walk away down a little path that leads through a grove of trees.

In a short time you come to a
very high cliff at the end of the path. Set into the wall is an
iron-bound oak door. The door is narrow and tall with a peak at
the top. A huge brass ring hands near one edge of the door.
You pull on the ring, and the door slowly comes open.

Inside is a wide tunnel winding
away into the darkness, its curved rood illuminated for a space by two
torches which hand in iron holders on either side of the door. As
you step inside and take down one of the torches, the door slowly closes
behind you.

The light of your torch
illuminates the path before you, although the tunnel ahead is dark.
You remember that you are protected; nothing can harm you. You set
off down the tunnel which begins to gently curve, first one way, then
the other. The small side tunnels do not interest you. Your
goal is the Maiden's fountain, somewhere ahead in the labyrinth.

Before long you hear the eager
whine and short barks of the hounds. Turning a corner, you find
yourself in the circular white room. Flaming torches hand in
brackets along the brightly-colored murals. The fountain in its
shallow bowl in the center of the room bubbles softly.

The Maiden rises from a bench
at the far side of the room. She smiles and beckons to you, then
turns quickly and leads the way into another dark tunnel, the hounds
running ahead of Her. You follow, your torch casting a circle of
light around you.

The tunnel begins an intricate
series of twists and turns, with more and more side tunnels. It
has become a true maze, a revealing pattern of the intricacies of your
inner mind.

You begin to see the flicker of
strange images out of the corner of your eye. These are the
"ghosts" of your past, of both this life and other lives, events or
people with whom you still have things to resolve. If you feel any
threat coming from these apparitions, call to the Maiden and She will
protect you.

If any of these "ghosts"
presses close and demands your attention, and if you feel able to
confront the past, stop and try to communicate. The Maiden will
wait for you. If you are not able to understand the problem that
remains between you and this past image, simply ask forgiveness and give
your blessing. Later dreams or events may clarify this.

The Maiden leads you deeper
still into the twisting labyrinth. Soon you hear the sounds of
drums and tambourines and the clash of a sistrum up ahead. A light
flashes. The Maiden turns a corner, and you find yourself in a
huge red-walled chamber. The ceiling is far above you.
Around the walls are ornate benches of crystal, and in the center is
another fountain. This fountain is set in a waist-high bowl with
steps leading up to it on three sides. Its water is a deep, rich
red color.

Scarlet-clad men and women
dance around the fountain. They weave a line of rhythm and music
as they circle around you. When you turn to watch them, you see
the Maiden disappear back into the tunnel. You turn again to the
fountain and, for the first time, see a woman at the far end of the
cavern. With smiles and music, the dancers whirl away toward the
mysterious woman. You follow.

The Mother sits on a
magnificent carnelian throne, Her long hair loose over Her shoulders.
Her blood-red gown flows over Her full breasts and pregnant belly.
Across Her lap sprawls a cat, its green eyes watching you. The
Mother smiles and holds our Her hands in welcome. As you move
toward the throne, the dancers give a loud shout and go to sit on the
benches, talking quietly among themselves.

At the Mother's feet is a
padded bench. You sit on its velvet softness and look up into Her
loving eyes. She reaches down one ring-adorned hand and caresses
your face, your hair. When She speaks, Her voice is soft and full
of compassion. You listen intently as She talks to you. You
are free to ask questions. The Mother may or may not answer them
at this time, depending upon your being open and willing to listen.

After a time, the Mother
touches your breast over your heart, then holds out Her hand to one of
the dancers. They bring Her an elaborate chalice filled with water
from the fountain. She holds it to your lips with a smile, and you
drink. She explains the personal significance of this magickal
drink, for its purpose changes as you change.

You find the Maiden once again
at your side. As you stand to leave, the Mother holds out Her arms
and hugs you. Then you turn and follow the Maiden back up the
twisting tunnel. The journey back is much shorter than the journey
inward.

As you approach the door, the
Maiden smiles and says farewell. You replace your torch in its
holder and push against the door. Once more you find yourself
outside.

You take three deep, slow
breaths and find yourself again in your chair in your present life
surroundings. Sit quietly for a few moments to absorb what you
experienced. If you like, make notes of your journey.

Be aware for the next few
weeks, for messages and answers to questions may come from very unlikely
places and people. Look at everything logically, though.
Never take extreme answers at face value. Spirit never demands
extreme or unethical action.

Sit in a comfortable
position with your feet flat on the floor and your hands in your lap.
Close your eyes and visualize a white light coming into position over
the top of your head. See it coming down over you until you are
completely surrounded by the light. Breathe it in with slow, even
breaths. Feel your body relaxing, beginning with your toes and
working up to your jaw and head muscles. It may take more time to
relax the muscles of the shoulders, neck, and head than the rest of the
body.

Now see yourself standing
beside a well. The stone walls of the well are moss-covered and
worn. Take all the problems in your life that are bothering you
(that includes people) and drop them into the well. Then turn and
walk away down a little path that leads through a grove of trees.

In a short time you come to a
very high cliff at the end of the path. Set into the wall is an
iron-bound oak door. The door is narrow and tall with a peak at
the top. A huge brass ring hands near one edge of the door.
You pull on the ring, and the door slowly comes open.

Inside is a wide tunnel winding
away into the darkness, its curved rood illuminated for a space by two
torches which hand in iron holders on either side of the door. As
you step inside and take down one of the torches, the door slowly closes
behind you.

The light of your torch
illuminates the path before you, although the tunnel ahead is dark.
You remember that you are protected; nothing can harm you. You set
off down the tunnel which begins to gently curve, first one way, then
the other. The small side tunnels do not interest you. Your
goal is the Mother's chamber beyond the Maiden's fountain, somewhere ahead in the labyrinth.

Before long you turn a corner
and find yourself in the torch-lit white-walled room with the Maiden's
fountain bubbling in its shallow bowl in the center. The Maiden
stands near the entrance to another dark tunnel, Her hounds gathering at
Her feet. She beckons to you, then turns and leads the way into
the tunnel, the hounds running before you. You follow, your torch
casting a circle of light around you.

You recognize the intricate
twists and turns, the increase of side-tunnels, as the way to the
Mother's chamber. If you see any "ghosts" from your past lives
here, you may stop and communicate with them. If, however, you
feel any threat coming from these apparitions, call to the Maiden and
She will protect you.

The Maiden leads you deeper still
into the twisting labyrinth. Soon you find yourself in the
lighted, red-walled chamber with its crystal benches. The central
fountain sounds like tiny bells as it falls into its bowl. The
Maiden goes straight to the carnelian throne, where the Mother waits.
On the back of the throne perches a white owl, its dark eyes staring at
you.

In a soft voice, the Mother
tells you to follow the owl. She gestures to the wall behind the
throne. As you step past Her, you see a narrow opening outlined in
crystal and amethyst points. She smiles encouragingly as you move
toward the black tunnel. The owl leaves its perch and flies ahead
of you, its white plumage glowing in the darkness.

You squeeze through the narrow
opening. The tunnel is so narrow you can reach to each side and
touch the crystal-studded walls. Without warning, your torch goes
out, and you stand in complete darkness. Then you see the delicate
flicker of light across the crystal walls. You squeeze around a
corner and find yourself in a black-walled cave. The walls and
ceiling are cloaked in deep shadows. The only light comes from an
ornate lamp set on the low stone wall around a central pool. Just
beyond the pool is a huge cauldron. The owl perches on the
cauldron rim and looks at you.

You walk to the pool and lay
your extinguished torch on the rocky floor. Gazing down into the
still black waters of the pool, you may see scenes in the water - scenes
from the past, the present, or the future. Do not be discouraged
if nothing is revealed during this visit. Sometimes it takes more
than one journey to this pool before one can see backward and forward
through time.

Beyond the cauldron, you see a
movement, and a black-robed figure steps forward. A hood covers
the head and shadows the face. Two long gray braids hang down
across the breast. You stand silent for a few moments, gazing at
this powerful figure. You feel no menace coming from the figure,
only concern and deep love.

Then leathery hands are raised
and the hood dropped back to reveal an older woman, the Crone, the Dark
Mother. Although She is aged, She is very beautiful. Her
eyes are filled with timeless wisdom. She holds out Her hands and
you go to stand directly before Her, gazing into those wise eyes.

The Crone gestures for you to
sit beside Her at the edge of the pool. She asks if you have any
questions about karmic patterns in your life. You may ask Her
about any present event or person and how they fit in from other
lifetimes. You may also ask about the future and how it is tied to
the past. Confirmation and revelation of past lives is also within
the realm of the Dark Mother. The Crone will give you the
information She knows you will use in a positive way. She may, at
times, refuse to answer until a later time. You can hide nothing
from the all-seeing, all-knowing Dark Mother.

When you finished your
conversation, the Crone asks if you are ready for rebirth. This
can bring drastic changes, so think carefully before you decide.
If you answer yes, She takes your arm and leads you to the far side of
the huge cauldron where there are steps leading up to it. You
climb the steps and stand looking down into its black interior. An
inky, bubbling liquid fills the cauldron. The Crone speaks
encouraging words in Her soft voice as you stand there. Finally,
you leap into the cauldron and fall down into its blackness.

The cauldron experience is
intensely personal. There is no single experience, therefore no
way to describe it. You will, however, feel healing and
strengthening taking place within your body, mind, and soul. You
may even see or experience past lives. At last you feel the
Crone's hands touch you, and you are lifted up again to stand at the top
of the steps. Although you have been immersed in liquid, you are
completely dry. The Dark Mother helps you down the steps and
guides you to a black marble bench at the shadowed back of the cave.
Both of you sit there while the Crone continues to instruct you and
answer questions.

The Dark Mother takes a silver
chalice from the floor near Her feet and holds it while you drink.
The liquid is such a dark purple that it is almost black. It fills
you with warmth, with hope, with renewal. The Crone gently touches
the center of your forehead, your heart, and your belly. Where She
has touched, there is a deep, intense feeling of warmth and energy.
She presses into your hand a special symbol. This symbol may be
entirely spiritual or may actually come to you in the physical at a
later date.

The Dark Mother leans forward
and kisses your cheek. Instantly, you are whirled away in a vortex
of bright lights and melodic sounds. When the whirling stops, you
find yourself once again at the exit door of the labyrinth. You
push against it and go outside.

You take three deep, slow
breaths and find yourself again in your chair in your present life
surroundings. Sit quietly for a few moments to absorb what you
experienced. If you life, make notes of your journey.

Be aware for the next few
weeks, for messages and answers to questions may come from very unlikely
places and people. Look at everything logically, though.
Never take extreme answers at face value. Spirit never demands
extreme or unethical action.

Be seated either before
the altar where this is done as part of a ritual (dark moon esbat) or at
a table that can be used for this meditation.

Light a black candle (votive,
pillar, or stick) in its holder, using the center altar candle, and say:

This candle glows to light
the path into Darkness.

Place the candle in front of
the propped-up black mirror (you may want to drum or shake a gourd
rattle against the palm of your hand is you chant).

I call upon the Dark and the
Past; the Ancient of Days in the Realm of Repast. Unleash to my
sight the paths I have roamed; and show me the forms of lives I have
known.

Look past the candle into the
mirror to gaze into your own eyes.

Continue to shake the gourd and
chant the rhyme, without really listening to it or paying attention to
the motion; focus on the mirror and watch as the face changes into those
of past lives.

Do not be surprised to see
faces of the opposite sex or even of beings not guessed at or known.
The soul's journey encompasses the Universe, and where one has resided
may be other than Earth. In some cases you may even see a
progression of lives into other life forms of Earth. Not all lives
need be considered from the past, as some may be yet to come, or are on
other planes; the location of the past depends upon one's location on
the spiral at any give moment.

When done, if still shaking the
gourd, stop and say:

The memories of past and
future are shown; the faces of me in Time are now knows. Blessings
I give to the Veiled One of Night; for through this mask am I given the
Sight.

Cover the mirror with a black
cloth and snuff the candle. Proceed with the Esbat ritual or take
some refreshment and move back into a normal routine.

Have at hand a black candle, a black mirror, incense,
and a drum or gourd rattle.

Light a black candle in its holder and say:

this candle glows to light
the path into darkness.

Place the candle in front of the mirror and light an
incense that appeals to you as a night scent. Place it in front of
the candle. Drum or shake a gourd rattle against the palm of your
hand as you chant:

I seek the name of one who
bids me ill;

Whose heart toward me is
malice filled.

No chastisement do I make,

But free myself for my own
sake.

Chant until you are looking beyond the image in the
mirror. Let the candlelight and incense work to help words come
into your mind that describe the feelings that person causes in yourself
(there could be quite a few). Now look into the person with your
mind's eye and let words come that describe the person.

Images of the person may now start to come into focus in
the mirror. Each image will have some characteristic that is the
same, and this is the point of recognition of what defines that person
in relation to yourself. Find the words that match your feelings
with the dominant characteristic of the person; try several combinations
until you have a name that defines the person and focuses on your
awareness of that person.

Now you know, or ken, who the person is, and you can
feel the peace and serenity of that knowledge; that person will no
longer be able to raise emotional distress in you because you know that
person's name.

To clear the mirror, life the incense before the mirror
and blow air across the burner so the smoke is blown into the mirror,
and say: